Strip random-access system



Dec. 13, 1966 A R 5 GLASER ET AL 3,29Li33 STRIP RANDOM-ACCESS SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 14, 1963 FE j Inventors: Peter 5. Glaser Richard 7? Peters James L. De/ndoerfer Their forneys.

Dec. 13, 1966 Filed Oct. 14, 1963 P. S. GLASER ET AL STRIP RANDOM-ACCESS SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I IWIMHJHM IM 5832i /n ven/ors.

efer 5. Glaser Richard T. Peters James L. Deindoerfer heir Af/arneys.

Dec. 13, 1966 P, s. GLASER ETAL 329L133 STRIP RANDOM-ACCESS SYSTEM Filed Oct. 14, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ln venlors. Pezer 5. Glaser RIC/70rd 7. Peters James Lflemdoerfer Dec. 13, 1966 P, s. GLASER ET STRIP RANDOM-ACCESS SYSTEM Filed Oct. 14, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 gri'll m e" C If H 1 In venfors.

h Peter 5. Glaser Ric/ward T. Peters James L Deindaerfer Dec. 13, 1966 p GLASER ET AL 3,291,133

STRIP RANDOM-ACCESS SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 14, 1963 In var/tors. Perez- .5. Glaser Richard Z Pefers James L Delndoerfel fl X/ g 0 Their Allorneys.

United States Patent 3,291,133 STRIP RANDOM-ACCESS SYSTEM Peter S. Glaser, San Pedro, Richard T. Peters, Torrance,

and James L. Deindoerfer, Hermosa Beach, Calif., assignors to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Maryland Filed Oct. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 316,106

Claims. (Cl. 12916.1)

This invention relates generally to random-access storage systems and, more particularly, to improved apparatus for controlling the movement of flexible magnetic strips used for storing data in such a system.

A random-access storage system of the prior art is disclosed in copending US. patent application Serial No. 12,032, filed on March 1, 1960, by Eugene H. Irasek, and assigned to the same assignee as this application. In this system information is magnetically recorded on strips of flexible magnetic material. Each strip is provided with retaining tabs formed at the upper end thereof and is disposed to depend by its tabs from suitable suspender means which forms a part of a strip storage magazine.

One strip at a time is selectively released from the lower end of the magazine and freely dropped through a chamber towards a rotating capstan. As the leading edge of the strip approaches the capstan, a vacuum, produced through perforations in the capstan, draws the strip to the capstan whereby the strip is accelerated and passed by the capstan through a transducer region having reading and writing transducer means. The capstan also imparts sufficient momentum to the strip to cause the strip, under the action of centrifugal force, to follow an upward path through an appropriate guide-way back to the magazine. The guideway guides the strip up over the magazine and down into a stopped position in the magazine loading means which, in turn, places the strip back onto the suspender means of this magazine. A pneumatic means is provided in the system to blow a stream of air through the strips for insuring that the depending strips are maintained in spaced-apart relationship.

The system is able to store close to 60 million bits on two hundred and fifty-six strips (size 14 inches by 3% inches) with each strip having over two hundred thousand bits. Since any desired strip may be selectively released from its suspender means, dropped, accelerated to an operating speed, operated on, returned to a stopped position, and finally loaded back onto the suspender means within a small fraction of one second, rapid randomaccess is available to any one of the information groups containing more than 200 thousand hits as represented by one strip. One of the important characteristics of such a system is that, not only is the access time to any of the strips very short, but the access time is relatively the same for all the strips irrespective of their location in the magazine.

One of the problems associated with such a randomaccess storage system of the prior art is to control the accelerating and arresting movements of a strip during its travel through the system. Thus, a strip released from any selected position along the bottom side of the magazine freely falls through a generally V-shaped chamber to a rotating capstan where the leading edge of the strip is grabbed by the suction provided on the surface of the capstan to cause the strip to be rapidly accelerated. This rapid acceleration causes the unrestrained upper portion of the strip to whip about as it passes through the chamber subjecting the tabs formed on the upper end to damage and the protective coating on the oxide layer to wear, thereby limiting the useful life of the strips.

After the strip has been accelerated to operating speed, and operated upon, it is returned to a position in the loading means at which it must be arrested so that it can 3,29i,l33 Patented Dec. 13, 1956 be pushed back onto the suspender means. When the leading edge of the strip strikes the bottom of the loading means the strip has a tendency to bounce. The antibouncing means of the prior art depend on the thickness of the strip or the drag friction of the surface of the strip for their operation. However, it has been found that as the strips are used their drag friction and thickness tend to vary such that the anti-bouncing means which depend on the uniformity of these characteristics of the strip cannot effectively bottom the strip so that it is properly aligned and positioned during the loading cycle. This can result in premature wear and damage to the tabs on the strips as they are loaded back into the magazine, thereby limiting their useful life.

Another problem associated with such random-access systems of the prior art is that when a strip located near the loading end of the magazine is dropped, it has a tendency to hang up on the wall of the chamber due to the pressure created in the chamber by the air stream used in the system to separate the depending strips in the magazine. Although the hanging up of the strip might be only temporary it is undesirable since it slows up the speed of the system. In any event, to avoid such a condition, the operators of the equipment in the prior art have been required to avoid the selection of strips near the loading end of the magazine. Although this can be readily acocrnplishe-d by programming, it represents an undesirable limitation in the system since the strips most frequently used are located at the loading end of the magazine. The previously referred to Irasek application teaches that one way of alleviating a dropped strip from hanging up or from being whipped when rapidly pulled at one end by the capstan is to intermittently operate the air stream through the strips in the magazine, and the vacuum through the capstan. However, an intermittent operation of the pneumatic system is not only relatively slow, but tends to cause other disturbing operating effects. It should thus be clear that if the "problems of the strips hanging up or of the strips whipping about or being arrested in the loading means can be otherwise solved, the prior art systems could operate more etfeciently and he more reliable.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide novel apparatus for controlling the movement of a flexible magnetic strip as it recirculates through a random-access storage system.

Another object of this invention is to provide novel apparatus for reducing premature wear and damage to the strips as they move through a random-access storage system.

Another object of this invention is to control and restrain the end portion of a free-falling flexible strip from whipping about when the strip is being accelerated by a rotating capstan after being released from its magazine.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel roller-vacuum ramp for preventing a dropped strip from hanging up on the wall of the chamber leading to the rotating capstan.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for preventing a strip from bouncing when its leading edge strikes a loading plate and for stopping the strip in a position to be loaded back into the magazine.

Briefly, the above objects are achieved in this present invention by providing a means for holding a free-falling strip against a ramp that supports and guides the strip towards a rotating vacuum capstan used for accelerating the strip. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the means includes a ramp forming one of the sloping walls of a V-shaped chamber located below the magazine loading means. The sloping wall is provided with two horizontally disposed slots which open into a vacuum compartment. The suction created in the vacuum compartment draws a falling strip against the sloping wall. The strip is prevented from coming to rest (hanging up) on the wall by rotating rollers disposed within each slot. The vacuum is drawn around the rollers so that the pressure in the V-shaped chamber below the magazine may effectively act against the strip in the area between the rollers when the strip covers both rollers. Due to the air stream through the depending strips, the air pressure in the V-shaped chamber will be more than atmospheric. The surfaces of the rollers protrude through and slightly above the surface of the sloping wall whereby the strip, drawn to the wall, is pushed by the rotating rollers and slides along the sloping wall towards the capstan. Thus, in accordance with the present invention since the strip is pneumatically held against the wall, the surface of the strip is laterally restrained and the whipping action that would normally occur during acceleration of the strip by the capstan is substantially dampened. Thus, the strip does not wear out and is not damaged as fast as before, and the rollers prevent the strip from hanging up. To effectively bottom a strip within the loading means so that its tabs are properly aligned with the suspender means, the present invention provides an improved antibouncing or alignment means in the form of a slightly curved narrow slot or passageway at the entrance to a larger width magazine loading means. The curvature of the entrance slot is so slight that the normally flat strip easily conforms to this curvature as it moves down into the loading means. After the trailing end of the strip passes through the curved entrance slot into the loading means, the strip readily straightens out to its normally flat condition by its own spring action. The strip is now trapped within the loading means since its shape no longer conforms with the curvature of the entrance slot. In fact, because of air pressure directed against the strip in the loading means from the magazine, the strip actually assumes a curvature which is just the reverse of the curvature of the entrance slot, thus assuring that it is properly bottomed and held in the loading means.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter be made apparent or will become apparent upon consideration of the appended claims and from the following description of a typical embodiment of the invention that is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the random-access storage system;

FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of a typical flat, flexible information storage strip showing, in particular, a strip in a flexed position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged pictorial view showing primarily the novel roller-vacuum ramp and proximate structure of the system;

FIG. 4a is a partial section and elevation of the ramp and proximate structure of the system shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 4b is a partial section and elevation of a ramp illustrating a typical movement of a free-falling strip when it is not controlled by the novel ramp of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an elevation and partial section showing the upper portion of the magazine loading means and proximate structure of the system;

FIG. 6 is a view of the end of the suspender means taken substantially on line 66 of FIG. 5 in the direction of the arrows with some of the elements partially broken away;

FIG. 7 is a pictorial view primarily of the upper portion of the loading means and proximate structure with some of the elements partially broken away; and

FIG. 8 is a top view and partial section of the loading means with a strip in position for loading onto the suspender means of the magazine.

Referring to FIG. 1, the various mechanical components of the random-access storage system are shown assembled on an upright back plate 11. The upright plate 11 is suitably mounted on a frame 13, partially shown. The frame 13 is part of an enclosed console (not shown) that may also enclose a suitable electronic circuit for the system. The electronic circuit provides the signals to selective solenoids that actuate the mechanical components of the system. The signals to the solenoids are fed through suitable wiring that is disposed on the back side of the plate 11 and substantially hidden from view.

As disclosed in the above-mentioned Irasek application, Serial No. 12,032, random-access systems of the type described provide for storing information on strips 12 (a typical strip is shown in FIG. 2) in the form of magnetic recordings. The strips 12 are flat, flexible, and relatively long in relation to their width and are made, for example, of iron oxide coated on a flexible polyester base such as Mylar, a trademark product of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. The strips 12 are disposed to depend lengthwise by their tabs 12a (formed at the upper edge) from suspender means 14 (FIG. 1) that is fixed to the upright plate 11. The suspender means 14 comprises a plurality of horizontally disposed rod-like elements 15 (shown more clearly in FIG. 7) which engage the tabs 12a so that the strips 12 can be selectively released by rotating certain ones of the rod-like elements. The rod-like elements are rotated by a solenoid means 16 that includes a solenoid for rotating each rod-like element. The solenoids in the solenoid means 16 are actuated by selective signals supplied by the electronic circuit.

The suspender means 14 also includes an air supply hood 18 which directs a stream of air through a suitable grill 17 (FIG. 5) and down through the depending strips 12. The hood 18 is so shaped to protrude through the back plate 11 and is connected to suitable air blowers (not shown) by two flexible hoses 18a and 18a. The hood 18 has an internally disposed divider wall 18b (FIG. 5) whereby hose 18a supplies air which primarily passes through to a main passageway formed on the left (as viewed in FIG. 5) of wall 18b and then on through the grill 17. Hose 18a supplies air which passes through an auxiliary passageway 18d formed on the right (as viewed in FIG. 5) of wall 18b. The air supplied by hose 18a supplies excess air near the loading means to overcome excess leakage of air around the loading means. As a result of this arrangement, the air supplied by hose 18a flows more evenly through grill 17 across the suspender means 14 to maintain the strips in spaced-apart relationship within magazine 19 (FIG. 1). Now, when a strip is released from the magazine, the released strip can fall freely into a chamber 20 (more clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4a).

The chamber 20 is so shaped by sloping ramp walls 37 and 38 that any released strip has its lower edge guided towards the periphery of a rapidly rotating capstan 22. It should be noted that a strip at the moment it leaves the magazine 19 is free-falling, that is, the surfaces of the strip are laterally unrestrained or unsupported.

The strip is attracted to the capstan 22 by a vacuum drawn through suitable radially disposed perforations 23 (FIG. 4a) and a suitable duct 21 passing through the upright plate 11 which duct is connected to a suitable vacuum pump (not shown). This causes the capstan 22 to rapidly pull and accelerate the strip out of the chamber 20. Since the long, flexible strip, in the system of the prior art, has its surfaces unrestrained in the lateral direction as it falls through the chamber 20, the rapid pull on the lower portion of the strip by the capstan 22 causes the upper portion of the strip to whip and slap against the sloping walls 37' and 38' as illustrated by a strip 12' in FIG. 4b. The present invention provides means in the wall of chamber 20 for preventing this whipping action, as will be described in detail in the ensuing description in connection with FIG. 4a. Continuing with the overall description of the system as shown in FIG. 1, the strip now being under the influence of the capstan 22 is passed across a transducer means 24 (FIG. 1) that has read and write magnetic heads located at the upper end thereof adjacent the capstan 22. The write and read signals are coupled to and from the transducer means 24 through a suitable wire cable 25. When the transducer means 24 has completed the write-read operation on the strip, a gate means 26 (more clearly shown in FIG. 4a) is opened. The strip, due to centrifugal force, leaves the capstan 22 and enters the vertical guideway 28 to be returned to the magazine 19. The gate means 26 is operated by a solenoid 62 on a signal generated by the electronic circuit. The strip is guided upwards by the vertical guideway 28 where it enters an arc-.guideway 28 (FIG. 1). Within the arc-guideway 28' the strip interrupts a light beam shining on a photo-cell 30. When the light beam is interrupted, a signal is produced and is fed to the electronic circuit. Since the strip is traveling under its own momentum, its drag friction is unknown and its speed is likely to vary within a wide range. The range may be so wide that one strip may be too slow to bottom in a loading means 32 before a strip loading cycle is performed by the system. To overcome this variation in speed, the embodiment of the present invention provides a strip-control roller assembly 34 (to be more fully described hereinafter) located within the arc-guideway 28 which maintains a desired speed of the strip as it enters the loading means 32 to ensure that the leading edge of the strip is not damaged by striking the loading plate in loading means 32. The loading means 32 performs the strip loading cycle in response to a command signal generated by the electronic circuit, and the present invention provides a novel anti-bouncing means for ensuring that the strip is properly bottomed before it is loaded back onto the suspender means of the magazine. In this embodiment, this command signal to the loading means 32 is delayed, for example, ninety milliseconds after the signal is generated by the photocell 30 which is sufficient time for a strip to travel from the photocell 30 to the bottom position in the loading means 32.

When an accelerated strip is permitted to whip violently, such as illustrated by strip 12' in FIG. 4b (which could be a strip dropped from any position in the magazine), the strip can become quite worn and damaged especially at the upper end which is free to flap around. Since the tabs 12a are located at the upper end, a damaged strip may mean the loss of one or more tabs, thus changing the address of the strip. The present invention provides lateral restraint to a strip falling through chamber 20 by providing a means that causes the surface of a strip to be urged and laterally held against at least one of the sloping walls, preferably (for reasons that will become apparent hereinafter) to the sloping wall 37 that is under the loading means 32. The wall 37 has upper and lower horizontally disposed slots 40 and 41 formed therein (more clearly shown in FIG. 3) and also a horizontal row of apertures 42 disposed below slot 41. The slots 40 and 41 and apertures 42 open into a vacuum compartment 47 (FIG. 4a) that is in turn connected by a duct 48 to a suitable vacuum pump (not shown).

Within the slot 40 is disposed a plain roller 44 (FIG. 3) having a cylindrical surface, while within slot 41 is disposed a grooved roller 45 having spaced circumferential grooves 45a formed in a cylindrical surface. The surfaces of the rollers 44 and 45 protrude slightly out of the respective slots 40 and 41, for example, .030 of an inch, which is sufficient to cause the rollers to engage a falling strip drawn to the wall 37 by the vacuum and to push the strip towards the capstan 22 without causing the strip to hang up. The rollers 44 and 45 are rotated by an electric motor 50 (mounted on a plate 51), a belt 52 engaging a large pulley 53 fixed to the motor armature, and smaller pulleys 54 and 55 fixed to the rollers 44 and 45, respectively. The pulleys rotate in the direction of the arrows drawn thereon, and the rollers 44 and 45 rotate at the same speed which is suflicient to overcome the friction between the wall and the strip.

As will be explained in the ensuing description, strips dropped from locations near the loading end of magazine 19 are urged against the ramp 37, while strips dropped in the opposite end of the magazine are not affected by the ramp. Thus, the rollers 44 and 45 are rotated at a speed which permits a strip that is urged against the ramp 37 to reach the capstan in approximately the same time as a strip that is free-falling and not urged against the ramp 37. This is done to simplify the programing of the systern.

When a strip 12" (FIG. 4a) is dropped, which strip has been positioned in the magazine, for example, in the twentieth strip position from the loading means 32, in the approximate position of arrow 58, or a position closer to the loading means, the lower edge of the strip contacts the sloping wall 37 and the rotating plain roller 44. Since the roller is rotating, the strip 12 is pushed down towards the capstan 22 and is prevented fromhanging up on the ramp. It should be noted that if the rotating roller 44 is not disposed near the upper end of the sloping wall 37, the strips (that are positioned too close to the loading means 32 before being dropped) have been observed to stop and hang up when the lower edge contacts the sloping wall 37. On the other hand, the strips that are dropped from the extreme opposite side of the magazine 19 do not have a tendency to hang up on the sloping wall 38. One reason as to why the strip hangs up is that air leaks around the loading means 32, and the strip is pushed against the loading means by the air flowing through hood 18. However, the roller 44 is installed so that the spacing between the edge of the slot 46 and the surface of the roller 44 is relatively small and the suction drawn through the spacing is also relatively small to prevent a strip from hanging up. Although the roller 44 and the edge of slot 40 are closely spaced, the lower edge of the strip is prevented from being caught therebetween by a bevel 40' formed on the lower edge of the slot 49 on the side of wall 37 facing chamber 20.

Next, the lower edge of the strip 12" passes over the grooved roller 45, and the strip is again drawn against the wall and the roller 45. Because of the grooves 45a provided in the roller 45, a larger suction is formed around grooved roller 45 than around the plain roller 44. However, since the strip 12 is now moving faster (due to the gravity force) and is being acted on by the friction force of both rollers, the higher vacuum created does not cause the strip to hang up. The larger suction around roller 45 helps the smaller suction around roller 44 to further dampen the heavy whipping action in the strip. The strip 12" is laterally restrained by the sloping wall 37 on one side and the approximately atmospheric pressure on the other side. Since the strip 12" is lying substantially against the wall 37, the atmospheric pressure is effective over most of the area that the strip and wall are in intimate contact. To further increase the intimate contact area between the strip 12" and wall 37, the row of apertures 42 have been formed in wall 37 below the grooved roller 45.

To prevent the lower edge of the falling strip from being caught between the lower grooved roller 45 and the periphery of the slot 41, a bevel 41 (like bevel 40') is formed on the lower periphery of slot 41. The outer surface of the grooved roller is spaced very close to the bevel 41' to also prevent a strip from hanging up. The circumferential grooves 45a provide the necessary ducting for drawing large amounts of air around the roller 45. The exact location of the rollers 44 and 45 and apertures 42 within the sloping wall 37 is not too critical. However, the upper roller 44 is placed sufficiently high in the sloping wall 37 to prevent a strip, dropped from near the loading means 32, from hanging up. The lower roller 45 is placed where it can be effective in dampening a strip dropped from a position closer to the middle of the magazine, as well as a strip dropped from near the loading means 32.

As mentioned before, when the lower edge of the strip 12" passes through the slit 39 at the bottom of chamber 20, this lower edge is drawn to the capstan 22 by the vacuum drawn through the perforations 23 on the capstan. The strip 12" is freed from the wall 37 by atmospheric pressure acting through vertical slots 60 formed in the lower end of wall 37. The friction force between the surface of the vacuum capstan and the lower end of the strip due to atmospheric pressure is sufficient to prevent slippage between the two, and the strip is rapidly accelerated out of the chamber 20. As mentioned above, due to the vacuum drawn through slots 40 and 41 and apertures 42, the atmospheric pressure acting on the strip pushes the upper tab end of the strip 12" against wall 37 so that the strip 12" is laterally constrained to slide smoothly along the wall 37.

However, if, for example, a strip is dropped which has been positioned in the magazine in, for example, the fiftieth strip position from the loading means 32 in the approximate location of arrow 59 (FIG. 4a), the lower edge of the strip engages the wall 37 below the upper roller 44 and slides down the wall 37 to engage the lower roller 45. Since the strip, dropped from the fiftieth strip position, passes close to the upper roller 44, the upper portion of the strip could be drawn against the upper roller 44 if the vacuum drawn around the upper roller is large enough, and the roller 44 then would help to push the strip to the capstan.

However, as a strip is dropped from a position in the magazine that is further and further away from the loading means 32, the vacuum drawn around the upper roller 44 is not large enough to attract the strip, and the intimate area between the strip and the wall 37 decreases as the lower edge of the strip contacts the ramp 37 closer to the lower roller 45. In turn, the amount of atmospheric pressure available to dampen a falling strip, that is dropped from a position further and further away from the loading means 32, decreases. Thus, when a strip is dropped, which strip is located about midway within the magazine 19 or near the side of the magazine opposite from the loading means, the vacuum drawn through the various openings in the sloping wall 37 has little or no effect on the falling strip.

It should be noted that the apparatus of the present invention could be provided with a means on the side 38 of the magazine, similar to the means in wall 37, for laterally restraining the free falling strip to prevent whipping and premature wear. However, a means on wall 38 for laterally restraining a dropped strip would have less utility than the means on wall 37, because the system as described always loads a strip into the magazine from one side, and consequently the more frequently used strips are by the very nature of the activity of the operation always located relatively close to the sloping wall 37 when they are to be dropped. Thus, before any one strip, after it has been dropped one time, can reach the side of the magazine opposite the loading means, all the strips in the system have to be dropped at least once, for example, two tundred and fifty-five different strips have to be dropped by the system. This is why the more frequently used strips are located near the loading means 32 where the novel features on the sloping wall 37 are effective in preventing the free-falling strips from becoming prematurely worn.

As disclosed in the above mentioned application and referring to FIG. 4a, the capstan 22, after it accelerates the strip, passes the strip across the transducer means 24, at which time information on the strip can be processed. When the strip is to be returned to the magazine, the solenoid 62 in the gate means 26, on a signal from the electronic circuit, releases the solenoids armature 63 causing a gate 64, pin-connected by a pin 65, to rotate counter clockwise so that the strip on the capstan 22 enters the vertical guideway 28. To ensure that the strip is released from the capstan 22, a chamber 68 is provided internal of the capstan opposite the gate means 26, which chamber 68 is open to the atmosphere by a small aperture 69, formed in a spider 70 that is, in turn, disposed stationary within the rotating capstan 22. The aperture 69 communicates with another chamber 71 formed in the spider 70 and a duct 72 that passes through the upright plate 11 to the atmosphere.

When the strip on the capstan has to be recirculated past the transducer 24, the solenoid 62 is energized on a signal from the electronic circuit and gate 64 rotates clockwise to close the entrance to the vertical guideway 28. The closed gate forces the strip to follow the capstan 22 until the strip is again pulled against the capstan by the vacuum drawn through duct 21. Atmospheric pres sure is applied to the strip through a screen 73 covering a port 74.

As mentioned above, after the strip leaves the capstan and enters the vertical guideway 28, the momentum of the strip causes it to travel upward and into the arcguideway 28 (FIG. 1). The signal, as mentioned before, is produced when the lower edge of the strip first passes over the photocell 30, while the speed of the strip entering the loading means is controlled by the stripcontrol roller assembly 34 in a manner to be now described.

Referring to FIG. 5, the arc-guideway 28' comprises an outer arc-guide 28a and an inner arc-guide 28b both fixed to the upright plate 11 with a plate 28c covering a narrow passageway therebetween through which the returning strip passes. The strip-control roller assembly 34 includes a circumferentially grooved roller 78, similar to grooved roller 45. The grooved roller 78 is mounted within a suitable slot 79 that is formed in the iriner arc-guide 28b and that communicates with a vacuum chamber 86 formed within the inner arc-guide 28b. Since centrifugal force causes the strip therein to bear against the outer arc-guide 28a, a friction driving force is produced, between the grooved roller 78 and the strip within the guideway 28', by drawing a vacuum through a tube 85. The tube 85, in turn, communicates with the circumferential grooves 78:; on the roller 78 through the vacuum chamber 86. The roller 78 is rotated by an electric motor 80 (mounted on the back plate 11) through a belt 81 engaging a pulley 82 on the motor and a pulley 83 on the roller 78. The pulleys 82 and 83 are rotated in the direction of the arrows drawn thereon. Like the other grooved roller 45, the surface of the roller 78 protrudes slightly above the surface of the inner arc-guide 28b and air is drawn from around the roller through the grooves. Therefore, the speed of a strip in the passageway when the edge first contacts the roller 78 can assume the linear or peripheral speed of the rollers surface. Since the roller 78 is disposed as close to the loading means 32 as the physical limitation of the system permits, the speed of the strip, when it enters the loading means, has been observed to vary within narrow limits, whereby a strip entering the loading means 32 can be readily bottomed by the improved means (to be next described) that is provided within the system.

When the strip leaves the arc-guideway 28', the strip enters into the improved means which is primarily a slightly curved narrow slot or passageway to whose shape the normally fiat flexible strip easily conforms as it is guided and moved into the loading means 32. The narrow curved slot is formed on one side by a strip detent support 87, mounted at the end of the suspender means 14, and on the other side by an extension member 88, fixed to the outer arc-guide 28a. The narrow curved slot is, for example, .015 of an inch wide and, in order to facilitate entry and to reduce the drag as a strip passes between the detent 87 and the extension member 88, the narrow curved slot is confined to the lower portion of the extension member 88, by sloping surface 88b on the member 88, which faces the detent support 87, as shown in FIG. 5. The narrow curved slot is more specifically formed 'by eight downwardly extending fingers 87a (of which only four are shown in FIG. 6) on the detent support 87 and by eight downwardly extending fingers 88a on the extension member 88. The lower tips of the eight fingers 88a, facing the detent support 87, thus lie on an arc whereby the tips of the two center fingers 88a (FIG. 7) are disposed .060 of an inch further away from the loading means 32 than the tips of the two outside fingers 88a". Since the slot is .015 of an inch wide and curved, the tips of the fingers 87a, facing the extension member 88, also lie in an arc. Thus, a strip as it passes through the slot assumes a slight curve with the concave side of the strip facing the loading means 32. After the strip is fully positioned within the loading means 32, the strip straightens out to its normally flat position by its own spring action, and the upper end moves under the extension member with the tabs 12a moving between the fingers 88a, as shown in FIG. 7, thus preventing the strip from bouncing back out through the curved slot.

Referring to FIG. 7, after the lower edge of the strip passes through the curved slot formed by the eight fingers 870 on the strip detent support 87 and the eight fingers 88a on the extension member 88, the lower edge of the strip slides down and along the surface of a strip loader plate 92 that is disposed to move towards the magazine 19 (in a manner described in the above-mentioned Irasek application) so that the strip can be loaded on the suspender means 14. As the lower edge of the strip moves downward the vertical edges of the strip enter relatively wide vertically disposed ways, one on each side of a loader plate 92. Each vertically disposed way is formed 'by a suitable flange formed on a hinge-mounted guide bar 93 (more clearly shown in FIG. 8) and a stationary bar 94. The stationary bar 94 has an edge 94a which is spaced at a relatively greater distance from the flange of the hinge-mounted guide bar 93 at the top of the loading means than further down from the top making the ways wider on top. The ways are so disposed and spaced from the loader plate 92 that the strip 12 upon entering the loading means '32 assumes a slight curvature (as shown in FIG. 8) which is opposite the curvature the strip assumes when passing through the curved slot. The stripassumes this new curvature because the stationary bar 94 holds the vertical'edges of the strip away from the loader plate 92 while air pressure from hood 18 pushes the longitudinal central portion of the strip towards-the loader plate 92. It should be noted that since the strip when within the loading means 32 is flexed by air pressure to have a slight curvature which is opposite to the curvature of the curved entrance slot, the invention provides further assurance that the upper end of the strip moves under the extension member 88 (as shown in FIG. 7) after the upper end passes through the narrow curved slot into the loading means 32.

It should be noted that the speed of the strip is sufficient to allow the strip to bottom under its own momentum after the top portion of the strip leaves the stripcontrol-roller 78 in the arc-guideway 28'. However, the speed is not so great as to damage the lower edge of the strip or to cause the strip to violently bounce when it hits the bottom 32a (FIG. 4a) of the loading means 32.

After sufficient time has passed ensuring that the strip has entered the loading means, the loader plate 92 is moved towards the magazine 19 on a signal from the electronic circuit energizing a solenoid 96 which moves the plate 92 through suitable linkage means 97. It should be noted that the loader plate 92 is provided with upwardly extending fingers 92a (FIG. 7). When the loader plate 92 moves towards the magazine 19, the fingers 92a and in turn the tabs 12a move in paths disposed between fingers 88a on the extension member 88 and, in turn, between the fingers 87a on the strip detent support 87.

The fingers 92a provide the necessary support for the tabs 12a during the loading process. At the same time both hinge-mounted bars 93 swing outward on hinges 98 (FIG. 8) and the strip is loaded on Suspender means 14. Before the tabs 12a can engage the rod-like elements 15, the tabs 12a deflect the suitable strip detents 89 upward While the strip is being loaded. The strip detents 89 are disposed between fingers 8711 on the detent support. After the strip is loaded the strip detents 89 rotate downward (counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 5) due to gravity to prevent the strip from sliding back into the loading means 32 due to the force of air blowing through the strips from hood 18.

The preceding description of the preferred embodiment of the novel features incorporated in a random-access storage system makes evident that strip hang up is eliminated and strip wear is reduced especially in strips dropped from the side of the magazine 19 near the loading means 32 as the novel means in the sloping wall 37 help dampen the violent whipping action when the strip is accelerated. Also, the description makes evident that a strip enters and is effectively bottomed within the loading means in time to be loaded into the magazine.

From the foregoing explanation of the invention of a preferred physical embodiment thereof, modifications and changes therein will become evident to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to the specific details of the described exemplary embodiment but only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for providing random access to any one of a group of elongated flexible strips, said apparatus comprising: first means for supporting said strips by the upper end while said strips are disposed to hang in a vertical position, said first means including means for selectively dropping one strip at a time therefrom; a chamber disposed below said first means and having two oppositely disposed walls that converge towards each other to form a wide upper opening for receiving a strip dropped from any position of said first means, and a narrow lower opening by which the strip passes out of the chamber; second means including accelerating means disposed below said chamber for engaging the lower portion of the strip as it drops through said narrow opening and for rapidly accelerating said strip out of said chamber; and pneumatic means in a wall of said passageway for causing a strip dropping through said chamber to reach and be engaged by said accelerating means while being urged towards one of said walls so as to prevent the upper portion of said strip from whipping and slapping against the wall of said chamber as it is being accelerated by said accelerating means.

2. Apparatus in a random access storage system for preventing elongated flat flexible strips of magnetizable material from whipping upon being selectively dropped from any position in a magazine, and being accelerated for use in said system, said apparatus comprising: a magazine for storing said strips in an assembled group from which any one of said strips can be selectively dropped; rotary capstan transport means; a chamber having side walls which converge to provide a wide upper opening disposed below said magazine into Which a strip can be dropped and a narrow lower opening disposed adjacent to said rotary capstan transport means through which said strip can be pulled; at least one slot formed in one of the walls of said chamber; a roller disposed within said slot so as to protrude slightly above said wall; power means for rotating said roller in a direction toward said rotary capstan transport means; and vacuum means for drawing air through said slot around said roller for urging said strip towards said wall, thereby preventing the trailing edge of said strip from whipping in said chamber on the leading edge of said strip.

3. An apparatus for providing random access to any one of a group of elongated strips, said apparatus comprising: first means for storing said strips in an assembled group from which any selected one of said strips can be dropped irrespective of its position in said group; second means for receiving and rapidly pulling a strip that is dropped from said group; a V-shaped passageway having a ramp wall disposed between said first and second means through which any strip dropped from said first means passes to said second means, said ramp wall having a slot formed therein; third means for sucking air through said slot for urging a surface of a dropped strip towards said ramp wall; a roller disposed within said slot and rotating in a direction to help push said dropped strip towards said second means; and a plurality of openings in said ramp wall disposed below said slot, said openings being provided with pressure to release said strip from said ramp wall as said strip approaches said second means.

4. Apparatus in a random access system for prevent ing elongated flat flexible strips of inagnetizable material from whipping after being selectively dropped from any position in a magazine, and upon being accelerated for use in the system, said apparatus comprising: a magazine for storing said strips in an assembled group from which any one of said strips can be selectively dropped; a rotating vacuum capstan; a chamber having side walls which converge to provide a wide upper opening disposed below said magazine into which a strip can be dropped and a narrow lower opening disposed adjacent to said rotating capstan through which said strip can be pulled upon being engaged by said capstan; a first slot and a second slot formed in one of said walls of said chamber with said first slot disposed nearer said magazine than said second slot; a plain roller having a cylindrical surface disposed within said first slot; a grooved roller having a cylindrical surface with circumferential grooves disposed within said second slot; power means for rotating said rollers toward said rotating capstan; and vacuum means for drawing air through said slots around said rollers for urging said strip towards said wall, thereby preventing the trailing edge of said strip from whipping in said chamber as said capstan engages and pulls on the loading edge of said strip.

5. An apparatus for providing random access to any one of a group of elongated flexible strips, said apparatus comprising: first means for supporting said strips in an assembled group from which any selected one of said strips can be released and dropped; second means for accelerating a strip dropped by said first means; and third means including a strip-guideway means and a strip loading means for receiving said strip from said second means and for loading it back into said first means, said strip loading means having a narrow entrance passageway with a slight curvature along the length thereof to which the normally flat shape of said strip can readily conform as it passes therethrough and then straighten out :after entering into said loading means whereby said strip is held and prevented from bouncing out of said loading means.

6. An apparatus for providing random access to any one of a group of elongated flexible strips, said apparatus comprising: first means for supporting said strips in an assembled group from which any selected one of said strips can be released and dropped; second means for accelerating a strip dropped by said first means; and third means including a strip-guideway means and a strip loading means for receiving said strip from said second means and for loading it back into said first means, said strip loading means having a narrow entrance passageway provided with a slight curvature along the length thereof to which said strip readily conforms as it passes therethrough, and said strip loading means pro-.

vided with a compartment located below said narrow entrance passageway in which said strip can straighten out after entering into'said loading means, whereby said strip is held and prevented from bouncing out of said loading means.

- 7. An apparatus for providing random access to any one of a group of elongated flexible magnetic strips, rapidly accelerating said strip for movement past a transducing means, and reloading the strip back into the group, said apparatus comprising: first means for supporting each said strip by the upper end thereof while said strips are disposed to hang in a vertical position, said first means including means for selectively dropping one strip at a time therefrom; a V-shaped chamber having a wide opening formed on the upper end thereof for receiving a strip dropped from said first means irrespective of the location of the strip in said first means, said V-shaped chamber having a narrow exit slot formed at the lower end thereof through which said strip passes from said chamber; second means disposed near said slot in said V-shaped chamber for engaging the lower portion of the strip as it leaves said opening and for pulling said strip out of said chamber; third means for causing the strip dropping through said chamber to be urged towards and to .be moved down the wall of said V-shaped chamber; and fourth means including a stripguideway means and a strip loading means to receive said strip from said second means and for loading it back into said first means, said strip loading means having an entrance passageway with a slight curvature along the length thereof to which said strip readily conforms as it passes therethrough and then straightens out by its own spring action after fully entering into said loading means, whereby said strip is held and prevented from bouncing out of said loading means.

8. An apparatus for providing random access to any one of a group of elongated flexible strips and reloading the strip back into the group, said apparatus comprising: first means for supporting said strips by their upper end while said strips are disposed to hang in a vertical position, said first means including means for selectively dropping one strip at a time therefrom; a chamber disposed below said first means and having two oppositely disposed converging walls to provide a wide opening at its upper end for receiving a strip dropped from any location of said first means, and a narrow opening ,disposed below said wide opening through which a strip entering said chamber can pass; second mean-s disposed near said narrow opening for engaging the lower portion of a strip as it leaves said narrow opening and for pulling said strip out of said chamber; pneumatic means for causing a strip dropping through said. chamber to be urged towards one of said walls while said strip is being pulled by said second means; and third means including a strip-guideway means and a strip loading means located on the side of said first means for receiving said strip from said second means and for loading it back into said first means, said strip loading means having a narrow entrance passageway provided with a slight curvature toward the first means to which said strip readily conforms as it passes therethrough, and said strip load.- ing means provided with a wider compartment located below said narrow entrance passageway in which said strip can straighten out after entering into said loading means, said compartment being further provided with side slots for supporting said strip; and. means supplying a pressure to produce a curvature on said strip which is in a direction opposite to the curvature of said entrance passageway, whereby-said strip is held and prevented from bouncing out of said loading means.

9. An apparatus for providing random access to any one of a group of elongated flexible strips and reloading the strip back into the group, said apparatus comprising: first means for supporting said strips by their upper end while said strips are disposed to hang in a vertical position, said first means including means for selectively dropping onestrip at a time therefrom; a chamber disposed below said first means and having two oppositely disposed converging walls to provide a wide opening at its upper end for receiving a strip dropped from any location of said first means, and a narrow opening disposed below said wide opening through which a strip entering said chamber can pass; second means disposed near said narrow opening for engaging the lower portion of a strip as it leaves said narrow opening and for pulling said strip out of said chamber; pneumatic means for causing a strip dropping through said chamber to be urged towards one of said walls while said strip is being pulled by said second means; and third means including a stripguideway means and a strip loading means for receiving said strip from said second means for loading it back into said first means, said strip loading means having a narrow entrance passageway provided with a slight curvalure to which said strip readily conforms as it passes therethrough, and said strip loading means provided. with a Wider compartment located below said entrance passageway in which said strip can straighten out after entering into said loading means, whereby said strip is held and prevented from bouncing out of said loading means.

10. An apparatus for providing random access to any one of a group of elongated flexible magnetic strips and rapidly accelerating said strip for movement past a transducing means, and returning said strip to said group, said apparatus comprising: first means for supporting said strips by the upper end while said strips are disposed to hang in a vertical position, said first means including means for selectively dropping one strip at a time therefrom; a V-sha-ped chamber having a wide opening disposed below and communicating with said first means to receive a strip dropped from said first means irrespective of the location of the strip in said first means, said V-shaped chamber having a narrow exit slot formed at the lower end thereof through which said strip passes from said chamber; second means disposed near said slot in said V-shaped chamber for engaging the lower portion of said strip as it leaves said slot and for pulling said strip out of said chamber; third means for causing said strip dropping through said chamber to be urged towards and to be moved down the wall of said V-shaped chamber; and fourth means including a strip guideway means and a strip loading means for receiving said strip from said second means and returning-said strip back to said first means, said strip loading means having a narrow entrance passageway through which said strip from said strip guideway means enters said estrip loading means, said strip loading means being further provided with means for causing said. strip to assume a shape different from the shape of said narrow entrance passageway after said strip passes through said passageway whereby said strip is held and prevented from bouncing out of said loading means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,602,451 7/1952 Hofgaard 129-l6.l 2,908,278 10/1959 Goerlich 12916.1 3,006,639 10/1961 Spalding et al 27168 3,105,593 10/1963 Fredkin 12916.l X

FOREIGN PATENTS 614,436 12/1948 Great Britain.

' JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING RANDOM ACCESS TO ANY ONE OF A GROUP OF ELONGATED FLEXIBLE STRIPS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: FIRST MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID STRIPS BY THE UPPER END WHILE SAID STRIPS ARE DISPOSED TO HANG IN A VERTICAL POSITION, SAID FIRST MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY DROPPING ONE STRIP AT A TIME THEREFROM; A CHAMBER DISPOSED BELOW SAID FIRST MEANS AND HAVING TWO OPPOSITELY DISPOSED WALLS THAT CONVERGE TOWARDS EACH OTHER TO FORM A WIDE UPPER OPENING FOR RECEIVING A STRIP DROPPED FROM ANY POSITION OF SAID FIRST MEAN, AND A NARROW LOWER OPENING BY WHICH THE STRIP PASSES OUT OF THE CHAMBER; SECOND MEANS INCLUDING ACCELERATING MEANS DISPOSED BE- 